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Reading Terminal merchants rally behind Rick's

The Reading Terminal Market Merchants Association has designated Saturday as "Save Rick's, Save The Market Day" in support of steak sandwich vendor Rick Olivieri, whose lease was not renewed.

The Reading Terminal Market Merchants Association has designated Saturday as "Save Rick's, Save The Market Day" in support of steak sandwich vendor Rick Olivieri, whose lease was not renewed.

There will be a news conference at 10 a.m. at Rick's Steaks. Speakers will include past and present merchants and members of FORM (Friends of Rick's and the Market), Olivieri said.

On June 28, the market's management told Olivieri that, after 25 years, it would not renew his lease and that he must leave the market by July 31. Market officials said the move was to bring a new face to the market.

Olivieri says his eviction is retaliation for years of lease talks when he served as president of the Merchants Association.

"After 25 years in the building, and having one of the busiest stores in the market, [the eviction] came out of the blue," said Olivieri.

T-shirts, hats and buttons will be sold to raise funds for Olivieri's legal defense.

The Merchants are demanding that a new lease with Rick's Steaks be negotiated, said Olivieri, the self-proclaimed "Prince of Steaks" and grandson of Pat Olivieri, who opened Pat's King of Steaks at Ninth and Passyunk in 1930.